Akron at Eastern Michigan

[mikoyan]

As some of you know, I have been getting a chance to get down on the field at the Eastern Michigan games. Yesterday was another home game. For the most part I was happy with the shots I got (although I would still like to get a shot of a receiver about to catch a ball). Anyway, I will do what I did last time and take my favorite shot from yesterday and post it.

From Michigan Exposures

The good stuff:
ISO 400
Exposure 1/800 sec
Aperture 5.6
Focal Length 350mm

Canon 50D - Sigma 170-500mm F5.0

Anyway. I do like this shot. I kind of like the composition but I still thinks it needs something else. Do I need to take Jim's advice and get lower on a shot like this? And is knowing when to do that one of those things I'll pick up as I do this more often? So tell me what you guys think.

Thanks.

[amy_bb]

Originally Posted by mikoyan

As some of you know, I have been getting a chance to get down on the field at the Eastern Michigan games. Yesterday was another home game. For the most part I was happy with the shots I got (although I would still like to get a shot of a receiver about to catch a ball). Anyway, I will do what I did last time and take my favorite shot from yesterday and post it.



The good stuff:
ISO 400
Exposure 1/800 sec
Aperture 5.6
Focal Length 350mm

Canon 50D - Sigma 170-500mm F5.0

Anyway. I do like this shot. I kind of like the composition but I still thinks it needs something else. Do I need to take Jim's advice and get lower on a shot like this? And is knowing when to do that one of those things I'll pick up as I do this more often? So tell me what you guys think.

Thanks.

First of all, congrats on getting sideline access to the games! Sounds like a great opportunity. I looked at the larger picture and can see the green players face much better there. The focus of the shot is good and it looks like you got the blurred background right.

My first critique comment would be that I find the players legs on the left and the ref's legs on the right to be distracting. I seem to have trouble looking past those distractions to see the "meat' of the picture. I find these multi player/arms and legs everywhere sports hard to crop and only occasionally do I get just the right number of players and a ball along with good focus. I also think that showing only half of the white shirted player's face looks awkward. I guess I would have tried to crop him out all together or maybe included his full face.

On final edit, I would maybe have popped the colors a little but that may be a personal preference.

Now Jim can chime in and give a true pro's opinion!

[mikoyan]

I guess my first complaint is that I wish I would have gotten the Akron player's face in the picture. I kind of wish the Akron player's leg was black and then I could claim "framing" .

[Hill Country Hack]

Good job on the focus of the shot. I have a very difficult time with that due to a slow focussing lens. But I digress.

Personally I would like to see more of the ball, the Akron player's eyes. Just more in the shot in general. It seems just a bit tight for me. If you can move the crop further down to include all of the ball and maybe some of the field, it may help. That would cut out most of the tackler, but I think it would be ok. Again, Jim is one of the experts here on sports/action.

Keep it up.

[mikoyan]

Originally Posted by Hill Country Hack

Good job on the focus of the shot. I have a very difficult time with that due to a slow focussing lens. But I digress.

Personally I would like to see more of the ball, the Akron player's eyes. Just more in the shot in general. It seems just a bit tight for me. If you can move the crop further down to include all of the ball and maybe some of the field, it may help. That would cut out most of the tackler, but I think it would be ok. Again, Jim is one of the experts here on sports/action.

Keep it up.

Unfortunately, this is the shot. There is no cropping on this.

[Hill Country Hack]

Shoot a bit wider to give yourself cropping options. This has helped me a lot.

[mikoyan]

Hopefully tonight I will hvae another shot. I went to the Eastern Michigan at Toledo game over the weekend. Since I was photographing with Eastern in mind and they didn't give me too many opportunities, I don't have as many shots as I would like.

[Jim Bryant]

Looks like it was an after the action capture of the player with everyone milling about before they got off the ground. Really doesn't say too much........